With Labor Day, time for another seasonal re-set

by Scott Logan

Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, but it was the official end of float season on the Boise River at Barber Park -- &nbsp;an abbreviated float season given the flooding and high level of the river this spring. (KBOI photo)

BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) —

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer.

But it is officially the end of float season at Barber Park, an abbreviated season that many wondered, with all the flooding on the Boise River, if it would ever come at all.

We caught up with a group of people making their first Boise River trip on this last day of float season.

Better late than never, right?

"Been away on business every weekend pretty much," said Chris Gethin, of Boise. "Been doing an Iron Man, so a lot of swimming. Now I want to float."

As they point the raft downriver on this maiden voyage that's also a summer swan song, it's easy to reflect on the seasons that have come and gone this year -- and those that are ahead.

"I am just interested to see what fall brings," said Sibylle Gorla, also of Boise, "because winter was a bit crazy, spring was out of sorts, summer came and went and fall should be a breeze, I think."

Speaking of breezes, we sure could use one to blow away this wildfire smoke which is expected to hang around for awhile along with some sizzling hot temperatures.

The unofficial end of summer doesn't seem to be going out with a bang; rather, slipping away somewhat silently...maybe on those little cat feet the poet wrote about.

"It's kind of nice out," said Boisean Justin Blankenship. "Does stink with all the smoke, But it's been a good summer."

"I'm hoping for a nice, cool fall so I can go bike riding and hopefully not as much snow as last year," said Raymond Wong, a Boisean echoing the same sentiment about this past winter we found when talking to most people around town.